The 2003 Teen Titans series takes something of a 'monster of the week' format, as in most episodes, the Titans conquer a new villain. The cast of foes pose varying degrees of challenge to the young heroes, and this typically informs the seriousness of the episodes. From the mind-bending yet amusing Mumbo Jumbo to the more formidable Doctor Light; from the massive Plasmus to Killer Moth; the Titans heroically subdue each threat to Jump City and send them off to prison. Other times, though, their enemies are more personal and complex. The arrival of Starfire's sister, Blackfire, is celebrated until it is revealed that she has nefarious motives. The wayward hero Terra is encouraged to become a Titan, but insecurity pushes her against the group and into the dark side.
Most notably, though, many of the villains the Titans face have actually been recruited by an even darker, more powerful enemy. The gang frequently squares off against the evenly matched opponent of H.I.V.E. Academy's Gizmo, Mammoth, and Jinx, though it is soon revealed that even these young evildoers are in fact soldiers of the mysterious Slade. A significant portion of the Teen Titans series focuses on revealing Slade's wider plan, as well as the mental and emotional toll that such a foe takes on the team, particularly Robin. So who is Slade, and what makes him such a grueling opponent?
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Who is Slade?
Slade's full name is Slade Joseph Wilson. Like fellow DC villain the Joker, Slade's motive for evildoing is unclear. While the tension between him and Robin grows personal, and the desire to best him fair and square likely prompted him to spare the Titan's lives in season one, there is no known reason for his larger goal of destroying Jump City. While his full face is never shown, aspects of his appearance can be parsed out, such as the absence of his right eye. Slade is extremely cunning and well-equipped, though his rare appearances in battle also confirm that he is an equally skilled fighter and seems to possess some superhuman strength and reflexes. It's unclear, however, if his enhanced abilities are innate or powered by his suit and mask.
After Terra's apparent murder-suicide of Slade at the end of season two, the villain isn't seen for awhile. In season four, Slade manages to return to the Titan's lives, though he's no longer a leader among villains. He is now working for Trigon, Raven's father and demon of Azarath. Trigon imbues Slade with fire starting powers and promises to restore his body in full if he does his bidding. But of course, Trigon does not make good on his word, prompting Slade to momentarily support the Titans and Raven's eventual defeat of her father. When order is restored, Robin quickly informs Slade that nothing has changed between them, and Slade manages to escape, never to be seen again for the rest of the series.
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Voiced by |
Ron Perlman |
|---|---|
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First Appearance |
Season one, episode one, "Divide and Conquer" |
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Final Appearance |
Season four, episode thirteen, "The End, Part 3" |
A Threat to the Titans
The Titans are first alerted to Slade in the series when he orchestrates the prison break of several notable villains. He then recruits H.I.V.E. Academy's wrongdoers, who were happy to oblige, having already established a fraught relationship with the Titans. In season one, episode four, "Forces of Nature", the Titans face two brothers with storm-generating powers, Thunder and Lightning. While physically keeping their wrongdoing at bay, Beast Boy also manages to convince Thunder, and through him Lightning, to walk away their boss, Slade, and use their powers for good. The young and/or naive nature of much of Slade's army suggests that they aren't fighting for a cause as much as they are fear or the promise of power.
Once the Titans learn that their enemies are working for Slade, they begin scheming the defeat of Slade himself. However, Slade is always one step ahead; even when Robin thinks he is about unmask the anonymous villain once and for all, it turns out to be merely be a robot recreation. Season two sees the introduction of Terra, a teen girl with earth-bending abilities. The Titans befriend Terra, even honoring her as a Titan, but Slade soon turns her against the group, validating her insecurities of being disliked and unable to control her powers. Slade puts Terra in a suit, promising that he will be able to help her use her powers to their full potential. However, the suit proves to be a tool that enables him to torture and control Terra, and even force her to fight her friends.
Robin's Obsession
The whole team grows passionate about defeating Slade, but none get as consumed by it as Robin. He grew increasingly desperate throughout season one, eventually creating the alter ego Red X. As Red X, Robin committed crimes to get in Slade's good graces, and he left the other Titans in the dark about his plans. However, Robin's desperation must have been apparent through his suit, as Slade later reveals that he knew it was him all along. In season one's two-part finale, "Apprentice" parts 1 and 2, Robin gets the opportunity to duel Slade man to man, but in a moment of truth, Slade reveals that he has implanted technology into the other Titan's bodies that he can and will detonate, killing them instantly. Robin proceeds to put a nanobot in his own body, prompting Slade to abandon his lair and leave all the Titans alive.
I am the thing that keeps you up at night. The evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind. I will never rest, and neither will you.
With the Titans' love and support, Terra manages to free herself from Slade's control at the end of season two. She sacrifices herself by pushing him into a pit of lava- and going in with him. Despite his near certain death, Slade continues to plague Robin in season three, episode five, "Haunted". Robin begins to see and fight Slade, though he can never quite seem to reach him, and none of the other Titans are convinced he's really there. Nonetheless, Robin comes out of the encounter with bruises, and is adamant that Slade has returned. It's only when Raven uses her powers to enter Robin's mind that she confirms that Slade is a hallucination- one that is taking a severe toll on Robin's body.
Teen Titans
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2003 - 2006-00-00
- Network
- Cartoon Network
- Directors
- Michael Chang, Alex Soto, Ben Jones, Ciro Nieli, Matt Youngberg
Based on the characters from DC Comics, Teen Titans follows the adventures of Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy as they fight to protect the world from various evildoers and make a name for themselves. The original animated series spans 5 seasons, and was the basis for the more comedic Teen Titans Go!
- Seasons
- 5
- Streaming Service(s)
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